1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a bed form made from easy to recycle sections and that can be quickly assembled without tools by means of fasteners that can be attached and secured by hand.
2. Background of the Invention.
Probably the most common bed frame today is the so-called Harvard frame which comprises an adjustable metal frame having legs equipped with casters, onto which a box spring may be set, and to which a headboard may be attached. Harvard frames are somewhat clumsy to assemble and require a box spring to support the basic mattress. Since box springs merely provide a flat support for the mattress it is possible to do away with the box springs and the Harvard frame if an alternative stable platform can be provided. In addition, it is common for hotels and commercial establishments to throw out box springs and old Harvard frame every 6-7 years. Those materials end up in landfills and cost money to dispose of. Consequently, there is a need for inexpensive, easy to assemble, mattress support system that can be disposed of cheaply and in an environmentally responsible fashion.
There have been prior art attempts to provide support for a mattress without the need of the traditional Harvard frame/box spring combination. See the following examples described in the patent literature.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,970,743 discloses a mattress and foundation system comprising a mattress section, a foundation section, a foundation cap, a foundation base and one or more foundation inserts forming a honeycomb unit, notched cross grids, and notched lengthwise grids wherein the grids are interlocked to form the system.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,224,705 discloses a waterbed mattress carried on a platform mounted by an adjustable support consisting of an accordion-type collapsible construction, a series of elongated members, a series of notches equidistantly spaced there along, a series of elongated members inter-nested with the members, and a series of notches equidistantly spaced there along wherein the members are inter-nested with the members by inter-engagement of the notches and, and the members form a collapsible egg crate-like construction such that the members are always oriented parallel to the side rails.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,186,452 discloses a bed support pedestal including two longitudinal vertical planar support members arranged in spaced parallel relationship with one another within the perimeter of the bed, vertically extending slots, substantially vertical planar or support members, and vertically extending slots adapted to intersect with corresponding slots.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,077,074 discloses a waterbed comprising a pedestal, a frame, a water filled mattress, two side rails, a foot rail, an outer pedestal base, pedestal inserts, and pedestal decking.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,761,974 discloses a support for containing a water-filled mattress comprising a vertical walled frame, a vertical free standing modular deck grid for supporting the water mattress above the floor surface, a series of rigid, and waterproofed interconnecting cardboard slats which extend across the interior area defined by the walled frame wherein the slats are partially slit along their intersecting planes.
2008/0000027 discloses a bed frame, comprising: a lower support structure having a head end and a foot end, a mattress platform that supports a mattress, a foot end, a mattress retainer mounted to the mattress platform by a pair of bracket assemblies, injection molded receptacles, a retainer clip, and screws used to secure the receptacle to the mattress platform.
The following U.S. Patents disclose prior art mattress supports of interest but of less likely relevance: U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,108,834; 5,953,755; 5,289,600; 4,073,019; 3,736,605; 3,469,542; Design Patent Applications 257,803; 257,804; and GB2331921.
While there have been past efforts to eliminate the Harvard frame and box spring combination, it is believed that none have succeeded in developing a mattress support that is truly inexpensive to make, easy to assemble without tools and environmentally friendly when manufactured and when ultimately disposed of. It was in the context of the forgoing prior art that the present invention arose.